


Homeward Bound

by orphan_account



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Eating Disorders, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, alternative
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 12:12:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18800101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Leorio thinks they will part ways but maybe not.





	Homeward Bound

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Abandoned](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9820922) by [orphan_account](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account). 



The shift in position should have affected him, made him dizzier, but it didn't. He “woke” to their jostling, not even in the hut that they had commandeered. He was as equally as lucid as before (so right on the precipice) and it was as if his mind just began where it had left off. Shame, and guilt. Irritation and nausea. His hand found Gon's spiky hair and he realized then that he was on his back, his head pillowed in someone's lap while Gon held a full canteen to his mouth. Eyes darting to each side, Killua was nowhere in sight and he didn't think too long about that as once more the edge of the canteen pinched his lip.

 

He drank, and after a moment of adjusting to the cold feeling of the water hitting his empty stomach, he sat up. Bent in half, he didn't feel so discombobulated but his limbs still quaked as he dug both hands into the dry, patchy soil.

 

“ Your blood sugar is dangerously low.”

 

Leorio grits his teeth, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand “ It's too hot out. I didn't think to drink more water.”

 

“ That may be part of it.”

 

He doesn't dare look at Kurapika, realizing he is the person who's lap he'd been occupying. He simply lacks the energy to argue but Gon of course breaks in, “ Killua is getting some food for us. We're gonna take a lunch break out here. We were done digging, anyway.”

 

“Why don't we just head back then?”

 

He hears a snide huff from behind him and his temper starts to flare. But Gon draws his attention easily by offering the water again.

 

“It's nice today. We can eat here, can't we?”

 

A certain red eyed assassin won't let the innocent excuse lie, “We don't need him collapsing on the way either-”

 

“Look, I don't know why you think you get to talk about this-”

 

“ You scared us, Leorio. Of course we're going to talk about it.”

 

He stops then, looking at his lap in shame; he shivers when a breeze travels through the clearing. The open graves sit a fair distance away, marked by their abandoned shovels and headstones that were ready to be placed, “ I'm sorry I worried you all. But it's not what you think. I just...didn't think about it. The sun, the digging... I'm fine. “

 

He thinks again about what Kurapika said, what he had whispered to him as if everything could be resolved with just those statements and it just makes him feel more ill. It sounded too good to be true, and he truly couldn't believe that Kurapika didn't think he was useless. He could not fathom his usefulness and it made more sense that he was being placated; the blonde didn't really care for him, just thought he could get Leorio back to his normal self if he said these things.

 

Kurapika would let him down easy once he was in a better state and Leorio's nostrils flared with insult. He wasn't weak. There wasn't this big problem. Things had just combined into one big mess today but he wasn't unstable or afraid to eat or doing this for attention. There wasn't a problem. He could accept the truth. He could take it like a man; he could handle meeting up with old friends with no hard feelings, could dig graves in a foreign land and learn the ancient rites. And he could go right back home and not hear from any of them for another six years, outside the occasional time that one of them picked up the phone to briefly talk. He had a clinic. He had training and medical books to memorize, for Pete's sake.

 

He had his own life. Didn't they see that? There wasn't a single problem with how he was living.

 

Suddenly, Killua arrived in a flurry, causing Leorio's eyes to bulge, “ Did you bring every scrap of food we have?!”

 

He receives a grin before suddenly a blanket is being spread out closer to the treeline. Gon is already on his feet, distracted by the task of getting food set out. Leorio takes the chance to maneuver himself onto his knees, careful as he slowly raises to his feet. He knows Kurapika is watching for any sign of weakness but Leorio is a full fledged doctor by his village's standards and pretty close to a licensed doctor by the official board of medical practitioners; he knows how to keep dizziness at bay.

 

“We should talk.”

 

“Maybe later. I'm hungry, gonna grab some lunch before those two devour it all.”

 

He does not dare face him, trying so hard to keep his voice casual. He shoved his hands in his pockets, walking carefully towards the makeshift picnic. His eyes scanned the smorgasbord with feigned interest, before he settled on some fry bread and a thick slice of cheese. A few grapes are popped into his mouth before Kurapika comes to sit.

 

Gon, his mouth stuffed full, asks, “ Are you okay now?”

 

“Of course, of course, “ Leorio assures him with a bright smile, “ Don't tell me you guys have turned into mother hens.”

 

“ Well, it's not everyday someone almost face plants in front of us, “ Killua comments, mouth just as full.

 

Leorio rolls his eyes, relieved when Kurapika stays silent; he waves his hand as if to wave away their remaining concern, “ My stamina isn't like you twos. Anyway, things will be just fine. We just have one final rite and then, I guess the three of us can head home. We still have to think about the bridge being out.”

 

“ We can go back to that town we got food in  We can take an oxcart to a bigger city, then travel home from there.”

 

Gon turns to Kurapika, “ Will you come with us or will you stay here awhile?”

 

There's a long pause before finally a lost look flickers across the former assassin's face. Leorio doesn't like the idea of him staying out here in the wilderness by himself but he doesn't comment. It's not really his place, afterall., “ I...I'm not sure. “

 

Killua cocks his head to the side, “ Where are you going? Yorknew?”

 

Kurapika bites his lip, “ I never thought about where I'd go after.”

 

“Well, you're a hunter. You could-”

 

The blonde grips his tabard tightly, knuckles going white in his lap, “Everything up to this was for one single goal. I've avenged my people so there's really nothing that I can think to do. I never came up with a plan for after…”

 

Killua and Gon exchanged a look, “ You could come with us.”

 

“Yeah, you're welcome to tag along.”

 

Kurapika smiles but doesn't say yes or no; they keep brainstorming, " Have you thought about contacting Melody?”

 

Kurapika makes a noncommittal noise, looking down at his lap in deep thought. He is the picture of calm but something tips them all off that turmoil is lurking behind his quiet, spurring more brainstorming. Killua rubs at his chin while Gon crosses his arms and hums.

 

“Maybe you should do some traveling, or well, you could go help Leorio with his patients.”

 

Leorio startles and he's about to scoff at what appears to be a crazy suggestion when all of a sudden Kurapika is looking at him in a strange way, like he's trying to gauge his reaction. All too aware of his unfinished lunch and likely slack jawed expression, the clinician rears back because of course Kurapika would never in a million years-

 

“ Yeah, until you decide what to do! I'm sure Leorio could use the help!”

 

Kurapika stares him directly in the eye, “ Your hometown is very rural. Do you require a lot of help?”

 

Leorio sputters, “ I, well, yeah. But I manage on my own. I'm sure Gon and Killua have a lot more going on, more excitement and all that.”

 

“ I think I'm tired of excitement, “ Kurapika says at last, looking quite tired as a breeze ruffles his bangs. He seems to be waiting for Leorio to say something, for him to jump on the invitation but any response he can think of remains trapped behind his teeth. The silence carries on long enough that he thinks his opinion has been effectively conveyed without him having to explain himself but then,

 

“ What do you think, Leorio?”

 

He swallows, heart beating rapidly. He could feel the three of them watching him and he knows it's a bad idea; it feels like such a bad idea but looking at the graves not so far away and after reflecting on the sense of ease that he felt from being reunited with the three of them despite the pain it also stirred… He hadn't received closure like he had hoped but he had realized that he had indeed missed them very much. Going back to his lonely, studio apartment where he hardly slept and barely made enough money to keep the clinic open...  He could do it, should do it because they would eventually leave again but the words didn't come out right. With a tight smile, he tried to hide his heartache,

 

“ Mi casa tu casa, I guess.”


End file.
